The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

I Confess when we have no other reason to incline us to one opinion or to another, but only the reputation of them that hold it, caeteris paribus, in matters of mere godliness, the judgment of godly men is much to be preferred before theirs that are ungodly, and they are much liker to be in the right. But when God hath given us other means to know the truth, we must impartially make use of them.

I Confess when we have no other reason to encline us to one opinion or to another, but only the reputation of them that hold it, caeteris paribus, in matters of meer godliness, the judgment of godly men is much to be preferred before theirs that are ungodly, and they are much liker to be in the right. But when God hath given us other means to know the truth, we must impartially make use of them.

It too oft falleth out that honest people are like straying sheep: If one leap over the hedge, the rest will crowd and strive to follow him: And therefore errors are like Languages and Fashions, that follow the Country where they are bred. The religious people in Sweden and Denmark have one sort of error; In Holland and Helvetia perhaps they have another: In France, and Spain, and Italy they have others: In Greece, and Armenia, and Ethiopia they have others. And it is an easy matter before we are aware, to fall into the common epidemical disease; and to think, This is best, because the best and strictest people ⟨p. 220⟩are of this mind. And indeed sin doth seldom get so great an advantage in the world, as when it hath won the major vote among the most religious sort of people: If but a Peter separate, Barnabas and many more will follow.

It too oft falleth out that honest people are like straying sheep: If one leap over the hedge, the rest will croud and strive to follow him: And therefore errours are like Languages and Fashions, that follow the Country where they are bred. The religious people in Sweden and Denmark have one sort of errour; In Holland and Helvetia perhaps they have another: In France, and Spain, and Italy they have others: In Greece, and Armenia, and Ethiopia they have others. And it is an easie matter before we are aware, to fall into the common epidemical disease; and to think, This is best, because the best and strictest people